UnitedHealth, Humana, Aetna pledge to keep parts of Obama's health care law, regardless of Supreme Court

(CBS/AP) Some of the nation's biggest health insurers will keep some popular parts of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul even if the law fails to survive Supreme Court scrutiny later this month.

UnitedHealth Group, Humana and Aetna all said Monday that they will continue to cover preventive care such as immunizations and screenings without requiring patients to pay a set fee called a co-payment.

UnitedHealth was the first major insurer to make its intentions known on Monday, as reported by CBSNews.com's Stephanie Condon.

They also said they'd still cover adult children up to age 26 through their parents' insurance plans. Additionally, they all pledged to continue to offer a simple process for patients who want to appeal when their health insurance claims have been denied.

Supreme Court to rule soon on health care, immigration; what happens next?
Poll: Most want Supreme Court to overturn individual health care mandate
Poll: Most think politics will influence Supreme Court health care decision

WellPoint, the nation's second largest insurer behind UnitedHealth, said it will announce its plans after the Supreme Court's ruling. The company runs Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in several states.

The announcements come after insurers initially fought to block passage of the overhaul, which aims to provide coverage for millions of uninsured people. Challenges from states and other groups opposed to the law, which was passed in 2010, made their way to the Supreme Court. Justices are expected to rule later this month on whether to uphold the law or strike down parts or all of it.

A CBS News/New York Times poll released last week reveals that nearly seven in 10 Americans want the Supreme Court to overturn either all or President Obama's health care law or strike down just the individual mandate.

While a plurality of Americans want the health care law to be overturned, a CBS News/ New York Times Poll conducted in March illustrated the popularity of some of the provisions that UnitedHealthcare is keeping in place: Nearly seven in ten supported children under 26 staying on their parents' health plan. Additionally, 85 percent said insurance companies should cover people with pre-existing conditions.

That major insurers are keeping some of the early provisions of the law underscores the popularity of those requirements. Patients have already gotten used to the benefits, and the insurers have already factored the cost of the provisions into the premiums that customers have to pay for coverage.

• no previous page
• next

1/2

[margroks]

They never seem to ask those of us who support the law, do they? I know a lot of people who support the law because it addresses many problems we've all griped about for years. There's not really a down side except for the conspiracy theory nuts who think it's socialism when the elderly or infirm or children are actually taken care of properly. It's not.

[Tdahle]

This move by the insurance market seems to be resembling other businesses in the economy in that competition and demand drives innovation. Alamanach is right in saying that leaving much of the health care industry to the market will lower costs. Regulations are important to protect customers, but only so far as it does not stifle innovation from which improvement is born. The American Action Forum provides great insights to the economic ins and outs of health care. Check it out to get savvy. http://******/qfgXg3

[sjc_1]

You notice all three made similar statements around the same time? There is no collusion, this is just a coincidence. MSNBC said it had to do with convincing Congress that they will be good citizens and do this voluntarily, so they can repeal the whole law, it is not needed. After the repeal they will remove all of this, go back to the bad old days and lobby like no tomorrow to get even more profits.

[hillzhavays]

by unclebernies June 12, 2012 8:55 AM EDT
Trust me the healthcare companies know they could never back track on the popular provisions the law gave. They aren't doing anything out of the kindness of their hearts.
____________________________________

They could backtrack if no one kept them. UnitedHealthcare realized that if they kept the popular (and not so expensive) provisions, they stood a chance to grab some market share if the others didn't follow suit.

The others now realize this so look for this to become an industry standard overnight.

it has nothing to do with the popularity, right or wrong or altruistic intentions or anything else. It's business.

1) keeping kids til they're 26 - nominal cost, this age group uses the least amount of healthcare.
2) immunizations - smart play - saves on high costs later
3) appeals - no cost, you appeal, they say no, done deal.

[unclebernies]

Trust me the healthcare companies know they could never back track on the popular provisions the law gave. They aren't doing anything out of the kindness of their hearts.

[tuckbodi]

Just amazing to me the blinders people have on, how our Supreme Court (and Attorney Generals) no longer looks out for the "good of the people," and how money poured into propaganda can change peoples views. Before you disagree with me, do you have Type I Diabetes, or do you have a sister with breast cancer, or do you have a mother suffering from Alzheimer's and through it all seen how corrupt our health insurance has become? Yeah, I thought so, and before you say I'm some loony lefty, just know I voted right for 30 years.

[skeezix06]

Consider me a cynic. My reply "How long before you drop the pledge? Six months? A year?"

[Alamanach]

They'll keep it as long as they can make money off of it. People have been wanting to keep their adult children on their plans for years, so the market pressure for that one has been around. Why insurers didn't just offer that on their own a long time ago is beyond me, unless there's been some government regulation or other getting in the way.

And there have been a lot of regulations. Using insurance to pay for routine check-ups, for example, is financially stupid; the insurance company in that case is a completely useless middle-man. But by law they now have to cover that, and a bunch of other things that the market has signaled it doesn't want.

Over-regulation of insurance companies and the failure to tax employer-provided insurance as income are two of the biggest things driving up health costs. Look at health care prices in countries that leave things to the market and you'll see just how cheap this stuff can be.